


Grantaire, first in boyfriendship, fourth in meeting the parents.

by meanttobeclever



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Butts, Established Relationship, ExR Week 2017, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Future Fic, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Pawnee, Prompt Fill, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 23:03:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11300676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meanttobeclever/pseuds/meanttobeclever
Summary: Grantaire is worried about meeting Enjolras' parents. Though he has many skills, meeting parents is not one of them. However, seeing as his boyfriend's parents are Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt, his only concern should be whether he like scrapbooks and waffles enough.Or the Parks and Rec AU that everyone (mostly, just me though) wanted.Based on a tumblr post by user Rintaire that's been stuck in my brain for months.Written for ExR Week 2017 prompt, "Alternate Universe." Day #4.





	Grantaire, first in boyfriendship, fourth in meeting the parents.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my dear friend [TheLordOfLaMancha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLordOfLaMancha/pseuds/TheLordOfLaMancha) for talking this ridiculous idea through with me a couple times and reading it despite its many flaws.
> 
> Also,thanks to just-french-me-up and apolloandr on Tumblr for hosting ExR Week 2017! I don't have Tumblr but I love writing prompts.

It is a ninety-mile drive from Indianapolis airport to Pawnee, Indiana. Depending on traffic and the state’s speed limits, which Enjolras would undoubtedly obey, that gave Grantaire about an hour and a half to be worried about what was waiting for him in Indiana’s fifth largest city. Grantaire often tells Enjolras that he would follow him into anything, even if it means dying, but today he was going into unprecedented territory and he was worrying like Joly in a germ filled daycare room. This morning he had gone so far as to ask Enjolras if he wouldn’t rather stay in New York for thanksgiving and go protest against the blatant consumerism of the Macy’s parade. His not so cunning plan only lead to Enjolras insisting that they plan that protest next thanksgiving and Grantaire inwardly regretting giving his boyfriend ideas. 

Next year the ABC will be standing on a hijacked parade float in weather that is to quote future Grantaire “too damn cold” while Enjolras explains the horror of sweatshops to the public with a megaphone. This year they will board a plane and rent a car so Grantaire can meet Enjolras’ parents. 

“You’ll do great R. My parents like everyone else I brought home,”  
“Everyone else? How many people have you brought home Apollo?”  
“You’ll be the fourth. So far they’ve met Ferre, Courf, and Jehan.”  
“Really? Why did you have to bring home the best and hottest people you know?”  
“Because they’re my friends and for any number of reasons, they had nowhere to go over certain holidays, so, I offered said they come stay with me.”  
“You’re a fucking saint, and I love you for that, but now your parents are going to be comparing me to a polite genius, a successful poet, and a man with the charisma of a cult leader,” Grantaire whines, “I can’t compete with them!”  
“You’re not competing, love, you’re my boyfriend, therefore, on a different level.”

Grantaire knows something about that statement was supposed to be comforting. It is supposed to tell him that because he is the boyfriend, he is already above friend, on a level where there is no competition. But to Grantaire, the next level sounded like he’d gone from the lowest to the highest difficulty of a game. In fact, he felt, as a boyfriend, he was playing an entirely different game and he didn’t know the rules because he has never really played the proper boyfriend it before. In his own mind, Grantaire is the man you take home to your apartment for a night, not the man you take home to your parents, not unless you’re trying piss them off. 

Grantaire has a myriad of skills including, painting, boxing, fencing, dancing, and drinking, but meeting the parents isn’t a skill he’s had to develop. This is mostly because anyone Grantaire has ever dated, before this, doesn’t have parents, doesn’t like their parents, or quite rightly assumes that their parents will not like him. The dislike probably comes from a skills list that translates in parent to unemployment, fighting, partying, and drinking. Alternately, they could hate him for his tattoos, untameable hair, sloppy paint covered clothing, and his ugly face besmirching the gene pool and family photos. Grantaire tells his boyfriend all of this, but Enjolras insists that his parents will like him. As is the artist’s habit he has to believe in his boyfriend but this belief does not mean Grantaire is going to stop worrying, quite vocally, for the full ninety minutes in the car.

“…How do I even address your parents? Miss Knope and Mr. Wyatt? Senator Knope and Mr. Wyatt? Future president Knope and future first dude Wyatt?”  
Enjolras laughs, “If you want to get on my mother’s good side, calling her future president Knope is a good start, it is her life goal, as for my father I might suggest Batman because I’m pretty sure that’s his”  
“I never thought I’d have to say this, to you of all people, but Enjolras be serious. I’m freaking out. What if they hate me?”  
“I am being completely serious. My father has a suit and everything!” Enjolras says, taking his eyes off the road for half a second to look Grantaire in the eye, “Honestly, R they’ll love you, I promise”  
“Oh right, the DC power couple will love me, the sloppy artist who is no way good enough for their perfect son because…?”  
“Well, because the perfect son does, and he has good taste, obviously” Enjolras replies smoothly and grabs Grantaire’s gesticulating hand over the glove compartment.  
“You’re going to risk driving one handed to calm me down? Rebel over here” Grantaire says with a mocking gasp.  
“Of course, I would do anything for you, even listen to an album you like for the next hour to calm you’re harrowing nerves.”  
“And shut me up,” Grantaire deadpans with a smirk, “Well I’m not going to shoot a gift horse in the mouth, let’s rock out to some R.E.M”  
“Mention your science fiction prowess and my dad is already sold on you”  
“I can do that, I’ve been watching Star Wars and Star Trek since I was a toddler and my final project this year was sci-fi in a classical art style” 

They sit for the next hour with Grantaire mumbling along to Michael Stipes’ distinctive tones and Enjolras pointing out the occasional landmark from his childhood. Then they reach the sign.

“First in Friendship, Fourth in Obesity,” Grantaire reads raising an eyebrow,  
“I’m not sure if that’s still accurate, but it’s better than engage with Zorp,” Enjolras replies with a chuckle, “Welcome to Pawnee”

***

“And then I said, you know what senator, we all have butts. I have a butt, my husband has a very cute butt-”

Enjolras and Grantaire enter the house at this particular when Leslie Knope is telling Ben about her day. Enjolras cuts her off whining with an immaturity that Grantaire did not think his straight-laced, protest-planning, future politician boyfriend possessed.

“-Mooomm, please do not tell me you were talking to a senators about dad’s butt again. It’s so awkward.”  
“Enjy, it’s for the gender neutral bathroom bill. Regardless, of gender identity we all have butts in need of bathrooms.”  
“Did you use this crude argument on the senate floor? That’s televised, you know?” Enjolras asks, his voice steadily getting higher and his cheeks reddening.

Grantaire almost hopes that she has, because teasing Enjolras, referred to as Enjy henceforth in his mind, is his favourite pass-time. This opened up a whole list of new possibilities, Jehan writing an Ode to Ben Wyatt’s butt, Courfeyrac talking about a fake crush on Enjolras’ dad, and the ABC’s new gender-neutral bathroom campaign slogan we all have butts, a strange but sound argument. Grantaire thought about all this and realized that if she had said it on television, Courfeyrac would have already texted with the gif set but he didn’t mention that to the embarrassed Enjolras, he just listened curiously for another glimpse into his home life.

“One, I think everyone in the world should know your dad has a great butt and I will inform them, in case they didn’t know,” Leslie replies in rapid fire turning towards her son, “Two, you should be proud because you got your cute butt from my hot husband. And three, I haven’t made my argument on the floor yet, I just brought it up with Senator Sanders and he likes it.” 

The woman standing in front of them was in her early sixties but the only way you could tell her age was from her stark white hair and the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Grantaire could also tell from those wrinkles that she smiled a lot just, as she was smiling now, big and bright, like the sun on a summer afternoon. Her smile also reminds Grantaire of Enjolras’ smile when he’s looking at his friends after a successful protest, or how he smiled at him the first time they said I love you, it was a smile that uses one’s entire face. Leslie Knope’s smile made it up to her eyes and Grantaire recognized the same shape and sapphire colour that he woke up to every morning. Beyond the physical looks Grantaire was struck by this pant-suited woman’s energy that was strong and infectious like her son’s and Grantaire had no doubt that she also had a number of people willing to follow her anywhere for that energy alone. 

“I like Sanders, but he also likes libraries, so I’m not sure how I feel about him, he’s no Joe Biden that’s for sure,” Leslie added finishing her rant.  
“You really have to let your grudge against libraries go mom, it’s getting ridiculous, if you vote against the new libraries again they’re going to think you’re anti-public education and we both know that’s not true”  
“But librarians are so pretentious and they always get the funding they need, and parks and recreation-”  
“Is not where you work anymore,” Enjolras grumbles stepping toward his mother, “Face it libraries are more important on a national scale, and-”  
“Excuse me? Who even raised you?!” Leslie asks almost yelling, grabbing her son by the shoulders, “Was it the library or the parks department, huh?”  
“Parks and Rec” Enjolras admits quietly.  
"Darn right you goofball, it’s nice to see you” 

Then Leslie is hugging Enjolras and Grantaire is left confused as to what just happened. They were yelling and Enjolras had just put on his stubborn determined face and now… they were hugging? Grantaire looks around puzzled and catches Ben Wyatt’s sympathetic gaze, he had walked up slowly, unnoticed while Leslie and her discussion with Enjolras had engrossed Grantaire.

“Just be happy this week’s debate wasn’t about gun control, that one gets pretty intense. Enjolras, would you like to introduce us to your friend?”

Enjolras almost jumps out of the hug and Grantaire can see a rose coloured blush dusting his cheeks as he turns to Grantaire with the most blinding smile and grabs Grantaire’s arm pulling him farther into the concerting eyes of his mother

“Mum, Dad, this is my boyfriend Grantaire” 

The words send a little trill through Grantaire’s heart. They had already been dating for three months, two weeks, and four days, not that R was counting, but he still hadn’t quite gotten used to the term ‘”Boyfriend”. The title was an improvement from the years of being “random asshole” and “dear friend” when he felt more like “annoying loud-mouth stalker” but that’s in the past, thank god.

“Yep, that’s me” Grantaire said leaning forward with an outstretched hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you senator-slash-future President Knope and Mr. Bat- I mean, Ben, I mean, Wyatt,”

Grantaire somehow managed to speak both too fast and too slow, spitting out some words all together while slurring the rest as if he was a drunk trying very hard not to sound drunk. Blessedly, both Enjolras’ parents were kind enough to just shake his hands firmly. Neither of them mentioned the fact that he was turning as red as someone who had one too many glasses of Merlot.

“As much as I like the title, because its super accurate, please call me Leslie and call him Ben,” Leslie said gesturing to her husband. 

Ben nods but doesn’t make any attempt to speak for himself, choosing instead to roll his eyes at his wife then look at her fondly. Grantaire watches this interaction with amusement, because it reminds him of his relationship. Enjolras has always been pretty good at speaking for and on behalf of groups of people, its no surprise that he brought this into his relationship. Since they started dating, Enjolras and Grantaire, two separate people, became we and us. It was a change in language instigated by Enjolras that often left him talking for the both of them. It’s not an intentionally malicious undermining, it was just an acknowledgement of them being on one team. Grantaire, for the most part, let Enjolras be the captain of their team and Ben obviously did the same for Leslie because the Knope-Wyatt team was a good one to be on.

“If you pull out my job title I’ll have to treat you like I treat my colleagues and my voters. Sadly, they don’t get to pictures of Enjolras as a baby.” Leslie says this with a wink.  
“I’m Intrigued. Do you have lots of these sorts of pictures?” Grantaire asks with a smirk, Enjolras blushes slightly pinker.

“My wife scrapbooks Grantaire. We have boxes of Enjolras related scrapbooks,” Ben says his eyes twinkling with mischief as he glances at Enjolras, “I like the ones where he’s in the bath with a top hat and Abe Lincoln soap beard”  
“The ones? You’re saying there’s more than one?”  
“Our boy has a good face and a nice tush, we had to get it from it all the angles obviously. Got all a whole page to itself” cried Leslie, “You want to see?”  
“More than anything in the world Leslie” Grantaire replied looking at his boyfriend’s now crimson face as he steps inside ahead of his.  
“Mom, do we have to? How about we take him see the sights instead? We could get waffles at JJ’s or you could show off the really small park…” Enjolras suggests desperately trailing in behind them.

Ben looks at his son’s wide-eyed terror as Leslie starts rummaging through the scrapbook boxes she had set out on the table chronologically that morning. When she heard Enjolras was bringing a guest, and not just a friend like Courfeyrac, Combeferre, and Jehan, who she had met before but a boyfriend, she went a little overboard. It had taken almost a week but she had gone through all the books and sticky tagged her favourites so they wouldn’t miss any of the good ones. Ben wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders and looked at his flustered face and grinned widely.

“In almost any other situation a chance to show off the town and eat waffles would’ve worked but there’s one thing that she likes doing more than showing off Pawnee, son”  
“Embarrassing me?” Enjolras sighs and Ben ruffles his hair.  
“No, showing you off. You’re our greatest achievement Enjy. And believe me we both love that tiny park, without you wouldn’t even exist-”  
“-Ew, that’s really gross”  
“But no sight in Pawnee is better than seeing you come home. It’s nice to have you back kiddo.”  
“Thanks Dad, it’s nice to be here. I’m glad you guys are meeting Grantaire,”  
“He seems nice, as nervous as me around cops, but nice,”  
“He likes R.E.M and science fiction” Enjolras offered.  
“Damn, its going to be really hard to do my “if he hurts you” speech now, threatening the life of someone with good taste is hard”  
“Don’t do it then?”  
“You’re right, I’ll get Ron to do it” Ben says  
“Don’t let Ron scare him away, not that I think Grantaire would be scared, he’s brave when you need him to be,” Enjolras began, “Dad, I like R, maybe as much as Mum likes Joe Biden, and I love him too”  
“That’s a really serious thing to say Enjy” Ben says with a wide goofy smile.  
“I’m aware. I’ve heard many an ode to Joe”

The father and son step into the living room. They see that Leslie and Grantaire are no longer looking at the scrapbooks. Leslie is staring intently at Grantaire who seems to be pondering something she’d asked him.

“Well, Leslie, my politics have changed a lot over the years and I think that mostly has to do with Apollo, I mean Enjolras. When we met I was cynical, and apathetic. I didn’t think change was possible. I was jaded from some bad examples of democratic governance and I had given up”  
“Cynical? I know some people like that,” replied Leslie with a furtive glance at Ben, “What about now? What are your politics?”  
“I’m still cynical,” Grantaire replied honestly, “but I’m not apathetic, I found something I believe in, well someone, and he’s liberal almost to the point of being socialist, but you knew that about your son already”

Grantaire smiled and turned to Enjolras, who he’d noticed midway through his answer. The blonde was beaming at him and his white haired mother was as well. During that weekend Enjolras and Grantaire would kiss in Pawnee’s smallest park, get waffles at JJ’s and eat Barbeque at Ron’s cabin where Grantaire would be thoroughly threatened but also approved of by the whole of Leslie’s Parks and Rec Department. 

On their last day in Pawnee the two young men would sneak away from the Harvest Festival and go into town hall so Grantaire could judge the terrifyingly inappropriate mural. Eventually, they would end up a bench underneath a mural of wildflowers. Ben and Leslie go to their bench and see their son and his boyfriend there, playfully arguing about something inconsequential. They look on for a moment, watching love bloom on that bench, beautiful, like the wildflowers painted behind it.


End file.
